Drug & supplement interaction

Eleuthero + Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride

Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride brand name: Jentadueto XR.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride falls into 2 drug categories that Eleuthero can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Eleuthero and Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Eleuthero interacts with whole categories of medication. Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Eleuthero in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride

Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Eleuthero interacts with.

Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
In vitro research suggests that eleuthero can inhibit the multi-drug transporter protein, P-glycoprotein. However, it is too soon to tell if this is clinically important. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the situation with Eleuthero and your Jentadueto XR (which combines linagliptin and metformin). In lab dish studies, eleuthero appears to slow down a transporter called P-glycoprotein, which helps move certain drugs around and out of the body. Linagliptin is partly handled by this transporter. In theory, blocking it could let a bit more linagliptin stay in your system.

That said, this is purely test-tube research and has never been reported in actual people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. If linagliptin levels did edge up, you'd mainly watch for low blood sugar, especially if you take other diabetes meds. To be safe, just mention the eleuthero to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Takahashi T, Kaku T, Sato T, et al. Effects of Acanthopanax senticosus HARMS extract on drug transport in human intestinal cell line Caco-2. J Nat Med. 2010;64(1):55-62. PubMed
  2. Freye E, GLeske J. Siberian ginseng results in beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in diabetes type 2 patients: a double blind placebo-controlled study in comparison to panax ginseng. Int J Clin Nutr. 2013;1(1):11-17.
Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

2 of 2

Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride also falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS.

Theoretically, eleuthero might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.
Animal research suggests that certain constituents of eleuthero have hypoglycemic activity in both healthy and diabetic animals. A small study in adults with type 2 diabetes also shows that taking eleuthero for 3 months can lower blood glucose levels. However, one very small study in healthy individuals shows that taking powdered eleuthero 3 grams, 40 minutes prior to a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test, significantly increases postprandial blood glucose levels when compared with placebo. These contradictory findings might be due to patient-specific variability and variability in active ingredient ratios.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: Jentadueto XR (linagliptin plus metformin) already works to lower your blood sugar, and eleuthero might nudge it in the same direction. When two things both push sugar down, you can sometimes overshoot. That could mean signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), like shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, dizziness, or feeling confused or unusually hungry.

That said, the evidence here is mixed and pretty thin. Some studies suggest eleuthero lowers blood sugar, while one small study actually showed it raising sugar after a meal, so the direction isn't crystal clear. This isn't a reason to panic, but if you decide to use eleuthero, it's worth checking your numbers more closely and giving your pharmacist or doctor a heads-up first.

References
  1. Hikino H, Takahashi M, Otake K, Konno C. Isolation and hypoglycemic activity of eleutherans A, B, C, D, E, F, and G: glycans of Eleutherococcus senticosus roots. J Nat Prod 1986;49:293-7. PubMed
  2. Sievenpiper JL, Arnason JT, Leiter LA, Vuksan V. Decreasing, null and increasing effects of eight popular types of ginseng on acute postprandial glycemic indices in healthy humans: the role of ginsenosides. J Am Coll Nutr 2004;23:248-58. PubMed
  3. Molokovskii, D. S., Davydov, V. V., and Tiulenev, V. V. [The action of adaptogenic plant preparations in experimental alloxan diabetes]. Probl.Endokrinol.(Mosk) 1989;35(6):82-87.
  4. Niu, H. S., Hsu, F. L., Liu, I. M., and Cheng, J. T. Increase of beta-endorphin secretion by syringin, an active principle of Eleutherococcus senticosus, to produce antihyperglycemic action in type 1-like diabetic rats. Horm.Metab Res 2007;39(12):894-898
  5. Watanabe, K., Kamata, K., Sato, J., and Takahashi, T. Fundamental studies on the inhibitory action of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms on glucose absorption. J Ethnopharmacol. 10-28-2010;132(1):193-199. PubMed
  6. Martinez, B. and Staba, E. J. The physiological effects of Aralia, Panax and Eleutherococcus on exercised rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 1984;35(2):79-85. DOI
  7. Medon, P. J., Thompson, E. B., and Farnsworth, N. R. Hypoglycemic effect and toxicity of Eleutherococcus senticosus following acute and chronic administration in mice. Zhongguo Yao Li Xue.Bao. 1981;2(4):281-285.
  8. Freye E, GLeske J. Siberian ginseng results in beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in diabetes type 2 patients: a double blind placebo-controlled study in comparison to panax ginseng. Int J Clin Nutr. 2013;1(1):11-17.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Eleuthero Also Interacts With Other Medications

Eleuthero has 678 moderate, 461 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Eleuthero

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Eleuthero. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Eleuthero or Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Eleuthero or Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride

This page covers Eleuthero only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride page lists 285 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acai (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 242 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride page

“Someone taking Jentadueto XR (linagliptin and metformin) for type 2 diabetes is often the same person eyeing fenugreek, bitter melon, or gymnema, and that overlap is why this page deserves real caution. Of its 285 ingredients, 239 can lower blood sugar on their own, so stacking them on a drug already doing that job risks pushing glucos…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Eleuthero as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,795 real supplement products containing Eleuthero, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Eleuthero. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride too, on top of Eleuthero — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Eleuthero and Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Eleuthero
Top 5%

#60 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride
Top 10%

#197 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Eleuthero

What is Eleuthero?

Eleuthero
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Physical and athletic performance
  • Stress resistance (adaptogen)
  • Immune support
  • Mental focus and alertness

Eleuthero is an herb traditionally used as an 'adaptogen' to fight fatigue, boost energy, and help the body handle stress. The scientific evidence behind these uses is limited and mixed, so it should not replace proven treatments. It is generally well tolerated short-term, but pregnant and breastfeeding people and those with certain conditions should avoid it or check with a healthcare provider first.

Read the full Eleuthero monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eleuthero

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Eleuthero — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
678Moderate
461Minor
1,690No known interaction
Moderate

678 interactions

Showing 60 of 678 moderate interactions — see all 678 on the Eleuthero page.

Minor

461 interactions

Showing 60 of 461 minor interactions — see all 461 on the Eleuthero page.

No interaction 1,690 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Eleuthero and Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Can you take Eleuthero with Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Eleuthero and Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride?
Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride belongs to more than one drug category, and Eleuthero interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Eleuthero and Linagliptin, Metformin Hydrochloride interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.